Best Respite Care Homes in the UK | Temporary Care For the Elderly

If you feel that you need a break from caring then having the opportunity to do so is really important. Caring for a loved one can be a rewarding yet often draining experience - both physically and emotionally. It’s understandable if you feel like you need a break from caring, and this is where short-term stays at a respite care home can help.

To make the search for a respite home easier, we’ve highlighted 14 of the best respite care homes in England. We’ve also looked at how to arrange respite care and the benefits of this form of support.

If you’re currently a carer for a family member and are looking for a respite care home then we’ve made this search much easier.

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Navigate Our Best Respite Care Homes Across The UK:

1. Lovell Place - Bristol
2. Meryton Place - Bath
3. Portsdown View - Havant
4. The Chase - Huntingdon
5. Cedar Mews - Leicester
6. Harton Grange - South Shields
7. Jubilee House - Godalming
8. Kew House - London
9. Lucerne House - Exeter
10. Lyncroft - Wisbech
11. Mercia Grange - Sutton Coldfield
12. Shinfield View - Reading
13. Westbourne Tower - Bournemouth
14. Thorley House - Wigan

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What is Respite Care?

Respite care refers to different services that are designed to give you a break from caring. Through respite care, someone might come in to look after the person you regularly care, or they may take them to an activity group or day centre. Respite care is similar in some ways to convalescent care which focuses on recovering from illness or injury.

Respite care allows carers to take a break or go on holiday, with or without the person they care for. If you’re going away without the person you care for, they may temporarily stay in a respite home.

Respite care homes

Respite care is most commonly provided through a respite care home. These homes provide short-term relief to caregivers and will look after your loved one while you take a well-earned break.

The staff at a respite care home will sit down to discuss your loved one’s needs, along with their likes and dislikes, so you can be sure that everything is taken care of.

Our 2024 Care Seeker Survey shows that older adults often use temporary respite care as a way of transitioning into permanent care. The most common duration for respite care is around two weeks. During this time, your loved one will be supported in a home-from-home environment, with all their personal care needs looked after.

Finding a space at short notice can be difficult, which is why some homes take advance bookings which can help when trying to plan ahead. For example, if you’re looking to book a holiday then you can match the dates with when you plan on taking it.

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How to Arrange Respite Care

The first step to arranging respite care is getting assessed by your local council.

Carers should get a carer’s assessment, while the person you’re looking after should have a care needs assessment.

Local councils will only fund respite care for people that they’ve assessed as needing it. If you want your or your loved one’s local council to pay for respite care then it’s important you both have an assessment.

Even if you don’t want council funding, getting assessed is still useful, as you’ll get advice regarding which type of respite care is most suitable.

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What are the Benefits of Respite Care?

Though looking after a loved one is a rewarding experience, the opportunity to take a break from caring can still be a welcome opportunity. Because caring for a loved one often becomes a full-time occupation, unpaid or informal carers can experience exhaustion, which is why allowing carers the break they need is so important.

Here are some of the benefits of short-term respite care, both for the carer and the person receiving care:

• It reduces stress for the carer, the person being cared for and any other family members or close friends
• The carer will be allowed the time to rest and recuperate
• It relieves feelings of frustration and exhaustion, meaning better wellbeing
• Carers will have more time to interact with their family members and friends
• There’s a good chance that respite care will improve the relationship between the carer and the person being cared for
• When in one of the best respite care homes, the person receiving care will be surrounded by people in similar situations. They may even form some lovely and lasting friendships

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Lovell Place in Bristol

Having just opened, Lovell Place Care Home is stunning and luxurious care home in Bristol that's equipped to cater for a variety of different care and support needs. If your loved one only requires a short-term stay while you or a different carer takes a well-earned rest, Lovell Place offers bespoke respite care.

Lovell Place is in a lovely location. The home is found just north of Bristol - one of the country’s most popular cities with older adults. Here, your loved one will be close to a number of shops, along with some fascinating points of interest.

All residents at Lovell Place - including those receiving temporary respite care - can enjoy a variety of amazing facilities, such as beautiful gardens, a café, a bar area, an on-site salon, stylish dining rooms and even a state-of-the-art cinema room! Each of these facilities offers something different. For example, in the café, residents can relax with one another while enjoying a lovely slice of homemade cake and a coffee.

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Meryton Place in Bath

Located in Keynsham - between Bath and Bristol - Meryton Place Care Home is a stunning and brand-new home offering short-term care in a luxury environment. If you’re a carer for a family member and are in need of a break, the dedicated and hard-working staff at Meryton Place will look after your loved one on a temporary basis.

This purpose-built Hamberley care home is full of stylish yet still comfortable living spaces which are ideal for socialising with friends, family and fellow residents. This home is packed with amazing facilities - and it even includes a deluxe cinema! Here, movie lovers can soak up a mixture of beloved classics and new releases.

Meryton Place also employs a chef who will design and cook a variety of delicious meals catered to the preferences of every resident, including those receiving respite care.

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Portsdown View in Havant

We’ve partnered with Connaught Care to bring you Portsdown View Care Home! Due to open later this year, Portsdown View is located in Havant, Hampshire.

With an all-in-one bills package, the focus at Portsdown View is on providing residents with the highest level of care possible. Not only have they attracted some of the best talent in the care home sector, but they’ll also have 25% more staff on duty than competitors at any one time. Doing this ensures every resident is treated with respect and receives the attention they deserve.

Thanks to convenient transport links nearby, residents can easily reach other idyllic parts of Hampshire, including the stunning New Forest.

A range of delicious meals is available to residents throughout the day, including bedroom dining, in the restaurant and in the casual café. This purpose-built home offers other brilliant facilities as well, such as a beauty salon, cinema, spa and a even communal garden where residents can relax or spend time with their loved ones.

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The Chase in Huntingdon

Opening this summer - June 2023 - The Chase Care Home boasts state-of-the-art, brand-new facilities that residents are sure to love. Some of their very best facilities will include private and communal dining areas alike, a bistro-style restaurant and even a cinema room! Where relaxation is concerned, residents can make the most of the idyllic garden or kick back and relax in the terraced area.

Located in Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, The Chase also boasts a lovely setting, with plenty of nearby green spaces and beautiful scenery for residents to enjoy on trips out of the home.

The Chase offers residential care, as well as short-term respite care - perfect if you’re a carer for a family member in need of a break or holiday. Rather than having several separate charges, everything at The Chase is rolled into one convenient package, making it far easier for you and your loved one to manage weekly bills.

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Cedar Mews in Leicester

Cedar Mews care home is located on the outskirts of Birstall - a quaint village in Leicestershire. With excellent road links via the M1 and A46, friends and family will have no trouble visiting. Some of the best facilities at this respite care home include spacious ensuite bedrooms, a welcoming café, a hair salon, a luxury dining room and landscaped gardens.

Cedar Mews offers personalised care plans, a delicious dining experience tailored to individual preferences and a busy social calendar that’ll contain something for every resident to enjoy. The respite care at this home enables non-permanent residents to enjoy all the benefits of Cedar Mews for a short time. The home provides much-needed social interaction and gives a great opportunity to try out the home before a permanent move.

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Harton Grange in South Shields

Sitting within its own manicured grounds in South Shields, Harton Grange care home is purpose-built and that provides a superb standard of respite, residential and dementia care to its elderly residents. This ‘Outstanding’ rated Care Quality Commission (CQC) home is one of the best respite care homes in the North East. Here, residents can enjoy a short-term stay and utilise the modern facilities that Harton Grange has to offer. These facilities include beautifully decorated bedrooms with ensuite bathrooms, bright dining areas, manicured gardens and a roof terrace.

Harton Grange is an integral part of the local community within South Shields and offers a wide variety of activities, including group and one-to-one activities. These are linked to care plans drawn up by residents, friends and family. The dedicated activity team will ensure no two days are the same!

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Jubilee House in Godalming

Based in Godalming and just off the high street, Jubilee House care home is purpose-built and offers expert respite care, including for people living with Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia. All the rooms at Jubilee House are equipped with a basin and toilet, while the home also features an array of communal spaces and gardens that are perfect for encouraging social interaction.

This is one of the best respite homes in the South East and has an ‘Outstanding’ rating from the CQC, partly because the dedicated and highly-trained care team take the time to get to know their residents. Activities and entertainment are tailored to unique preferences, while bespoke care plans are created for residents who may have more complex health needs. These plans include details on preferred routines, interests, likes, dislikes and any medication.

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Kew House in London

If you’re looking for one of the best respite homes in London then the ‘Outstanding’ rated Kew House care home may be the perfect choice for you or your loved one. Kew House is a gorgeous, purpose-built 81-bedroom care home in Wimbledon that offers a top-notch level of residential, nursing and dementia care.

The dedicated care team support residents to have an active lifestyle - regardless of whether they’re permanent residents or only staying for a few weeks. Residents are encouraged to form friendships with fellow inhabitants and join in with the varied activities programme. From Tai Chi and gentle elderly exercise classes to flower arranging, painting and music sessions, there’s a huge amount to get stuck in with.

Kew House offers an all-inclusive fee package and is also conveniently located to nearby shops and amenities, helping residents feel more independent.

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Lucerne House in Exeter

The purpose-built Lucerne House care home is surrounded by gorgeous grounds and can be found in the pretty Devon village of Alphington on the outskirts of Exeter. Spread over three distinct units that cover 24-hour nursing care, dementia care and support for people with physical disabilities, Lucerne House can cater to a wide range of respite care needs.

This care home boasts a plethora of modern facilities, including rooms with ensuite toilets, a selection of comfortable communal lounges, contemporary dining areas, well-kept gardens and even a café bar where residents can socialise with each other, their friends and family.

At Lucerne House, the dedicated activity team makes sure there’s never a dull moment, with hobbies tailored to the interests of every resident, including those on short-term stays. Activities vary from week to week but may include arts & crafts, cookery, reading, gentle exercise, flower arranging and wellbeing classes.

If your loved one has dementia then specialist support is provided in the bespoke Memory Lane Community, where the focus is on independence in care and choice. Care also focuses on how to promote dignity. Staff at Lucerne House have worked with Dementia Care Matters to improve the quality of life for all residents.

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Lyncroft in Wisbech

Recently renovated, the luxury Lyncroft care home in Wisbech offers family-led residential and dementia care, including short-term support for residents looking for respite care. The new rooms in this home have been specially designed to allow the attentive and dedicated care team to provide personalised care that meets the needs of each resident.

Many of the team at Lyncroft have been working at the home for several years, creating a genuine family atmosphere. Respite care residents will quickly feel at home when staying here, making Lyncroft one of the best respite homes in the East of England. For the more independent residents, the enrichment and activities programme provides plenty of variety, social stimulation and enjoyment. Meanwhile, residents with dementia benefit from tailored activities that bring out the best in everyday life.

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Mercia Grange in Sutton Coldfield

Located in the town of Sutton Coldfield in the West Midlands, Mercia Grange care home is CQC-rated ‘Outstanding’ and scores well across all five of the main parameters a care home is assessed on. The team at Mercia Grange provide residential, nursing and dementia care, along with respite care and compassionate end of life care.

This home is divided into smaller suites on each floor, helping to keep hustle and bustle to a minimum, which is particularly important for residents living with dementia. Meanwhile, each of the 67 en-suite bedrooms is wonderfully decorated and furnished. If your loved one likes the idea of being close to nature while receiving respite care then they may be able to choose a room with direct access to the lovely landscaped grounds.

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Shinfield View in Reading

The multi-award-winning Shinfield View care home is located just outside Wokingham, near the city of Reading. The superb team at this home are committed to looking after every individual’s needs through residential, dementia, respite and adult day care. The short-term care offered at Shinfield View comes in the form of an all-inclusive package that has the same level of support as residential care. This is useful if your carer is taking a break, if you’re trying out a care home before deciding, or if you’ve just had surgery or an accident.

The facilities at Shinfield View include a private cinema room, bar, bistro area and dining room, along with a library, hair salon, spa and beautifully landscaped gardens. This amazing respite home even has its own limousine and private chauffeur for days out and special occasions. With an 'Outstanding' CQC rating, this really is one of the best respite care homes in the south of England.

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Westbourne Tower in Bournemouth

A premium provider of dementia, nursing and residential care, Westbourne Tower care home also has rooms dedicated to respite stays following a hospital visit or when your carer is on holiday. This care home has 114 beds and on-site nursing facilities.

Just a short walk from the centre and near other private care homes in Bournemouth, Westbourne Tower residents can head over to the popular Bournemouth Beach and the iconic Bournemouth Pier. Unsurprisingly, trips to the seaside are a favourite amongst the residents.

Back at the home, a wide range of accommodation is on offer, as well as wheelchair-friendly landscaped gardens specially designed for gentle strolls and relaxing walks. This respite care home is also pet-friendly, so your four-legged companion can temporarily move in.

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Thorley House in Wigan

Situated in the friendly Wigan town of Standish, Thorley House Care Home is simply stunning and offers expert residential, dementia and respite care to residents. From overnight stays to those that last for months at a time, this home is perfectly equipped to welcome you or your loved one during a temporary stay.

This stunning care home boasts numerous facilities for residents to make the most of, including stylish bedrooms, restaurant-style dining, landscaped gardens and even an in-house salon for a touch of luxury.

Thorley House has become an established care home in the local community since first opening in 1950 and has provided its residents with a home-from-home feeling throughout that time. This modern yet warm and welcoming home provides a tranquil environment and amazing care facilities, regardless of the length of your stay.

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Lottie matches care seekers with the best respite care homes for their needs. You can also request a free care home shortlist from our care experts, who will share homes matching your budget and location.